A think tank for fools around the world who wonder about sustainability

Feed your Brain and Heart, not Just your Stomach

I am sure you guys have heard of the so-called Green Basket or Organic Box concept. Likely, you have automatically related it to another random tree hugger’s trend but it is more than that and I am going to explain to you, in case you aren’t aware of, why it is such a cool movement. I know I haven´t discovered the Higgs boson but I am noticing a big spread lately.

First off all let’s pay attention to its motto, which states; shop local, eat in-season and enjoy a great-tasting, certified organic selection of food, from the comfort of your home. Sounds good. Now that we all know what it is, we can move on and see what this back to nature concept consists of. I have listed a bunch of good reasons why you should embrace this experience!

My choice; small miscellaneous basket

# 1. To eat healthily and reduce chemical shit ingestion

Having a better nutrition with organic products that are properly grown, raised, harvested and packaged with no harmful pesticides, fertilisers, insecticides, growth hormones and antibiotics either. It is food that you can truly feel good about eating.

# 2. To know where your money goes

I do want to know where my money goes beyond the cash register. Buying organic food, most of the money goes to the actual growers who, by the way, deserve it all, and much less to the shareholders and food banks behind the business. That means fewer steps in the supply chain. To support a local business is a conscious decision to back your community up and show that your care about it. Demonstrating you want your community to thrive, placing rural development at the forefront of economic activity and give it a strategic position. Creating a community of producers who value mutual aid, you can have a significant impact on farming families out of your pocket.

# 3. To go towards zero waste production

Over-packing makes me sick. We do not need that amount of plastic bags and containers undertaking us. Organic food is brought to us in reusable boxes. This means fewer trips to dump our household waste, taking the bins or bags out. Don’t be so naive as to think that recycling is always the solution.

# 4. To improve your cooking skills and cook your own meals

After a quick glance at the box, you realise that you have absolutely no idea what half of the stuff is in that colourful massive leafy basket , so after a bit of research, you figure out what each of the items is, how they are called and how to cook them. Every week is a new adventure to have, to discover, research and drastically improve your cooking skills. If you want to know exactly what you put in your belly, be the gatekeeper of your meal’s ingredients.

# 5. To boycott the Food sovereignty

These products are grown by families who are committed to the health of soil, water and the people around them. So now, we have a small but effective tool to punish brands, companies and food banks behind the food industry that only care about enrichment and don’t give a fuck about environmental issues. Let’s fight the food sovereignty and go towards social transformation!

# 6. To connect your every bite with the Earth

By getting local and sustainably produced food in season and by preventing crappy chemical use in food production, you’re also off setting your carbon footprint and minimising your environmental impact. Don’t look the other way guys, instead be environmentally friendly and catch up with responsible consumption and environmentally caring habits. Sustainable development has to become a way of life to everyone.

# 6. To get something worth its price

Price comparisons are frequently made between organic and regular items. The price of food depends on the number of labour hours spent on production and we all need to know that organic stuff does not rely on mechanical and chemical inputs as massive production, it takes much more work. Of course it is a little bit more expensive, but don’t try to compare with conventional food. The prices are set by the farmers themselves based on cost production and living wages…Fair enough!

# 8. To find a way out of the current post-capitalist and crisis scene

Returning to the land, partaking in an environment friendly agriculture and livestock produces food of proved quality and healthiness.

# 9. To reach compatibility with your lazy mood

The products get to your door. Who wants to go shopping on a rainy day? This doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a Saturday morning at a local market. You can also get your dose of online shopping and even get anxious waiting for your delivery. A little weekly vice! You don’t have to worry too much about what to cook nor plan your diet, just wait for the delivery and improvise. There is a wide range of products, from fruits and veggies to meat, eggs and more…

So let’s get into the green basket movement and change our relationship to food, switching to a sustainable way of eating. Now all you have to do is to find your local organic food source and enjoy!